Reel for coiling strip material



weg) l Jan. 26, 1965 H. .1. JONES 3,167,270

REEL. FOR COILING STRIP MATERIAL.

Filed April 29, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HARRY J. JONES TTRNEY.

United States Patent O 3,167,270 REEL FOR CGHLING STRil MATERIAL Harry I. `iones, Sutton, Quebec, Canada, assignor to Dominion Engineering Works, Ltd., Montreai, Quebec,

Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Apr. 29, 1963, Ser. No. 276,368 Claims priority, appliatiorCanada, Nov. 5, 1962, 6 Ciaims. (Cl. 242-72.1)

This invention relates to reels for coiling strip material and has particular reference to improvements in reels of the type described and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 3,093,338 which was issued on June 11, 1963, in the name of George E. Trapp.

The reel disclosed in said application includes a strip end gripping mechanism which is arranged to secure to the reel the leading end of the strip material to be coiled, irrespective ofthe gauge of the material and without interfering with complete expansion of the reel.

The strip end gripping mechanism disclosed in said application is incorporated into a conventional design of reel in which the reel consists mainly of a solid shaft central portion, having two arcuate shaped segments of a length substantially equal to that of the shaft portion, pivotally mounted lengthwise on each side of the shaft to provide the required expansion and collapse of the reel. Each reel employs two similar strip end gripping mechanisms, one on each side of the reel, to permit reversed reel operation. Each gripping mechanism comprises a fixed upper gripper jaw and an adjustable lower gripper jaw. The lower gripper jaw is arranged to adjust vertically to accommodate a wide range of strip material gauges and to provide increased gripping pressure as the strip difcult to handle. The kinks in the strip also of the gripper mechanism to increase its gripping pressure, whenever the tension in the strip material increases and tends to pull the strip out of the gripper jaws.

The main disadvantage of the strip end gripping mechanism disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 3,093,338 lies in the fact that no allowance is made at the gripping jaws for the overlap between `the start of the first coil and start of the second coil. Thus, the second coil has to overlap a ridge, of material thickness, at the start of the rst coil and in so doing a transverse kink is formed in the strip. These ridges and kinks are continued through each successive coil and result in a series of kinks being formed along the strip, at spacings equal to the circumference of each successive coil. When the strip material is eventually uncoiled, the kinks prevent it lying at, thus making the strip diiicult to handle. The kinks in the strip also result in the production of an unsatisfactory article or else result in excessive waste material, if the kinked portions are avoided.

The present invention overcomes the disadvantages mentioned above, whilst still retaining the advantages, by providing an improved strip end gripping mechanism comprising, a fixed upper gripper jaw and a lower gripper jaw arranged to automatically pivot inwards by an amount equal to the thickness of the material being coiled, thus preventing the formation of a ridge of material thickness at the start of the coil, with subsequent kinks in the strip and providing a coil of true cylindrical shape.

It is, therefore, the main object of this invention to provide an improved strip end gripper mechanism in which the lower gripper jaw automatically moves inwards by an amount equal to the thickness of the material being coiled, to prevent the formation of a ridge of material thickness at the start of the coil, thus preventing the formation of kinks in the coiled strip.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strip 3,167,270 Patented dan. 26, 1965 ICC end gripper mechanism of simplified and more effective design.

A further object of this invention is to provide a reel in which the design of strip end gripper mechanism permits the formation of true cylindrical coils on the reel.

IThese and other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed specication and the accompanying figures, in which:

FIG. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a reel embodying the present invention taken through 1-1 of FIG. 2, showing one portion of the reel in its expanded position and the other portion in its collapsed position.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, to a reduced scale, taken through 2--2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of one of the gripper mechanisms shown in FIG. 1, but showing a relatively light gauge strip material engaged in the gripper jaws.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view, to an enlarged scale, similar to FIG. 3,-but showing a relatively heavy gauge strip material engaged in the gripper jaws.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the reel comprises a solid shaft central portion 11, having two arcuate shaped segments 12, each of a length substantially equal to that of shaft portion 11 and pivotally mounted lengthwise in bearings 13, one on each side of shaft portion 11. Segments 12 are secured at their outer ends by outer ring 14 tted on the outer end of shaft portion 11 `and at their inner ends by inner ring 15 fitted on the inner end of shaft portion 11, in such a way that a limited pivotal movement within rings 14 and 15 permits segments 12 to provide the required expansion and collapse of the reel.

Bores 16 formed in inner ring 15 are aligned with similar bores 17 formed in a radially displaceable keystone element 18, arranged to move segments 12 into their expanded positions when in the position shown in FIG. 2 and to permit segments 12 to move to their collapsed p0- sitions, when displaced radially inwards. Compression springs 19 are inserted in bores 16 and 17, being retained by threaded plugs 20 and serving to urge keystone element 18 into the collapsed position, as indicated by the right hand portion of FIG. 1. Additional springs 21 are arranged at the outer end of the reel to urge segments 12 into their collapsed positions.

p Keystone element 1S contains a series of wedge shaped projections 22 on the inner surface thereof which engage with a similar series of wedge shape projections 23, formed on an axially movable reel expanding member 24 secured to an actuating rod 2S, axially slidable in bore 26 in shaft portion 11. Suitable mechanism, not shown, is secured to the end of actuating rod 25 outside the inner end of the reel, for axially moving rod 25 and reel expanding member 24 to the left, in FIG. 2, for collapsing the reel and to the right for effecting the expansion thereof.

To enable the reel to be used on either side of a reversing mill, two similar strip end gripping mechanisms are employed one on each side of the reel. Reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 shows one of the strip end gripping mechanisms arranged with relatively thin and relatively thick gauge strip, respectively, gripped in the gripping jaws.

Each strip end gripping mechanism comprises a iiXed upper gripping jaw 27, secured by a dovetail connection 28 to shaft portion 11 and a lower gripping jaw 29, pivotally mounted in segment 12. A series of compression springs 30, each with bearing pads 31, are positioned in bores 32 in segments 12 and serve to urge lower jaw 29 to pivot about projection 33 in recess 34 to its uppermost Position in slot 3S in segment 12.

FIG. 1 shows lower jaw 29 in its uppermost position in slot 35, the right hand collapsed half providing a clearance between jaws 27 and 29 and the left hand expanded half providing a contact between jaws 27 and 29 at pointV the right` hand lower jaw 29 contacts the strip material.

Y engagement with said shaft and said 'segment means, said operating means arranged to place said segment lmeans Vin the reel expanded position when moved axially in one Y direction and to place said segment means in the reel col- Further outward movement of segments `12 now causes the right hand lower jaw 29 to pivot anti-clockwise about projection 33 in recess 34, at the same time compressing springs 30. Thus, irrespective of the thickness'of theV strip material between the jaws the reel will always ex-` pand to its fully expanded position. Furthermore, in-

creased strip thickness'p'roduces increased gripping presi, sure between the jaws, due to increased compressionof springsy 3:0.`

Tooth 37 on the upper surface offlower jaw 29produces a biting action rto grip the strip and is arranged `so that any increased tension` in the strip tending tofpull the strip out of the jawswill causelower jaw 29 in FIGS. 3

.and 4, to be urged to pivot in a clockwise motion, produc# lead end will enter the gripper jaws belowrthe circular g periphery of the reel and thus will not present a ridge of material thickness to the start of the second coil and will therefore' avoid anytransverse kinksy in the coiled strip. To release the coiled Vstrip from the reel, actuatingrod 25 is moved to the left, thus collapsing the reel, opening I the gripping jaws and leaving the coiled strip free to be removed. l I

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the 'principle and operation of myin-j vention andhave illustrated and described what I con-y sider to represent the best embodiment thereof. However, I desire to have it understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specicallyillustrated and described;

WhatIclaimis: Y j j. 1. An expansible reel for coiling strip material ofgvarig ous thicknesses including, a reel shaft forming a portion mounted onsaid shaft forminga portion of the periphery of the reel, axially slidable operating means in operative Vof rthe periphery of the reel, segment means pivota1ly lapsed position when moved axially in the other direction, Y

a slot formed at the periphery of the reel between said segment means and a portion of said shaft, means for securing' the end of strip material to be coiled on said reel, said securing means Vcomprising fixed gripper jawy means secured to said shaft and received iny said slot and extending inwardly relative to the periphery of said reel, movable gripper Yjaw means pivotally lmounted on said segment means and received in said slot having a portion that extends between saidshaft and said segment means# that serves as a continuation of the periphery of the reel,

and yieldable means interposed between, said movable gripper jaw means and said segment means orurging said movable jaw means l'towards said stationary jawfmeans,

said movable jaw means being so formed and arranged relative to said' segment means and the periphery of said reel so thatit pivots inwardly by an amount directly proportional to thethickness of the strip material between the fixed andi movable gripper jaw means. l 2. An expansible reel'as set forth in claim 1,' in which said movable gripper jawv means is contoured onthe outside surface thereofto facilitate formation of a cylindrical coil, irrespective of strip material thickness. 'Y 3. An expansible reel'as set'forth inclaim 1,including toothy means situated between the coacting facesv of said fixed and movable gripper jaw means. ,a Y l f 4. VAn expansible reel as setforth* in claim 1, including tooth'rneans situated on the gripping. surface of said movable-jaw means. r 5. An expansible reelas set forth in Yclaim 1, including stop means between said segment means and said movable Yjaw means, to limit the outwardly pivoting motion of said movable jawmeans. iY .Y 6. An expansible reel asset forth in claim1,'in which said yieldable means comprise compression springmeans.

References Cited by the Examiner, v UNITEDl STATES` PATENTSVv DorpfGerman applicationL1,007,279,;printed May 2, 1957 (Kl 7b `5/,30), l p. spec.; l sht. dwg.;V

MERVTN STEIN, Primm Emzmifr;4

OTHER REFERENCESl Y v 

1. AN EXPANSIBLE REEL FOR COILING STRIP MATERIAL OF VARIOUS THICKNESSES INCLUDING, A REEL SHAFT FORMING A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE REEL, SEGMENT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT FORMING A PORTION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE REEL, AXIALLY SLIDABLE OPERATING MEANS IN OPERATIVE ENGAGE WITH SAID SHAFT AND SAID SEGMENT MEANS, SAID OPERATING MEANS ARRANGED TO PLACE SAID SEGMENT MEANS IN THE REEL EXPANDED POSITION WHEN MOVED AXIALLY IN ONE DIRECTION AND TO PLACE SAID SEGMENT MEANS IN THE REEL COLLAPSED POSITION WHEN MOVED AXIALLY IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, A SLOT FORMED AT THE PERIPHERY OF THE REEL BETWEEN SAID SEGMENT MEANS AND A PORTION OF SAID SHAFT, MEANS FOR SECURING THE END OF STRIP MATERIAL TO BE COILED ON SAID REEL, SAID SECURING MEANS COMPRISING FIXED GRIPPER JAW MEANS SECURED TO SAID SHAFT AND RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT AND EXTENDING INWARDLY RELATIVE TO THE PERIPHERY OF SASID REEL, MOVABLE GRIPPER JAW MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SEGMENT MEANS AND RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT HAVING A PORTION THAT EXTENDS BETWEEN SAID SHAFT AND SAID SEGMENT MEANS THAT SERVES AS A CONTINUATION OF THE PERIPHERY OF THE REEL, AND YIELDABLE MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID MOVABLE GRIPPER JAW MEANS TOWARDS SAID SEGMENT MEANS FOR URGING SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS TOWARDS SAID STATIONARY JAW MEANS, SAID MOVABLE JAW MEANS BEING SO FORMED AND ARRANGED RELATIVE TO SAID SEGMENT MEANS AND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID REEL SO THAT IT PIVOTS INWARDLY BY AN AMOUNT DIRECTLY PROPORTIONAL TO THE THICKNESS OF THE STRIP MATERIAL BETWEEN THE FIXED AND MOVABLE GRIPPER JAW MEANS. 